Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1887-02-05
EDITOR BIGELOW'S STORY
THE INSIDE OF THE FAMOUS
OUTING EXPEDITION.

/ Cioudman'H Own Iuventinn-Bfstory
Of His Engagement bv the "Outing "
CompAnS-The Purchase of the Yacht
Managed by the Young Navigator
His Trip to SavannAh-A Succession
of Disasters and Finally shipwreeked.
Capt. +. A. Cloudman, the famous
young around the-world navigator who
was shipwrecked few days ago OFT the
Florida coast before he had hardly gotten
out Of sight of land, has gone back to his
home among the highlands Of the Hud-
son. Before he went he did not miss the
opportunity that was given him to lay
out the Outing magazine and it's editor,
MIR. Pouitney Bigelow, who lifted out the
expedition.
Mr.. Blgelow has written a letter TO the
southern Critic giving his side OF the
story. In the letter which was forwarded
10 the MORNING NEWS he says: 81 take
great pleasure in explaining Mr.. Cloud.
mans connection with the outing be-
cause a misapprehension seems to exist
in the minds of those who have heard only
what he has had to say"
EDITOR BIGELOW'S LETTER.
Mr.. BIgelow says that he has all of
CloUdmaD's letters on file. showing that
be importuned the Outing management
for long time TO allow him to go on an
expedition around the world before an
agreement was made. she said be had
boat of his own called the Henrietta"
MI. Blgelow goes on to say, (which
was ready Tor sea, and that
II we would merely commission
MIN and pay his daily living expenses for
himself alone. which he put at an alb
surdly low figure, and would also print
his articles and pay for them at page
rates, he would undertake the enterprise
with delight He claimed to be the in
Ventor OF Very important system OF
ocean signal stations, and expressed a
strong desire to distinguish himself in
his way as Thomas Stevens had on
bicycle. All OF my colleagues 10 the
Office looked upon the enterprise as highly
questionable, but MIR. ClOudman was so
importunate and protested such uncom-
mon familiarity with small boats aud
long cruises in them that we yielded, only
bargaining that as we had no desire to
make any advertising capital out OF the
trip we should be charged only with
| necessary expenses.
CAPT. CLOUDMAN's ENGAGEMENT.
This was during the first week in
November. Mr.. Cloudman professed
himself to be man OF some means, for
he said that his vile was living comfort
ably in Kingston, y. Y, where he was
formerly editor of the Freeman. How
ever, he asked us TO advance him money
to go ana lind his boat. the Henrietta
which he said was in the hands of friends
on the Maine coast. We advanced him
| money not only for that but to pay his
freight from there to Savannah and
also made him a present of his uniform,
full set OF nautical Instruments and
general equipment. hen he reached
| the Maine coast, however, he telegraphed
| back to us that the Henrietta was good
for nothing. We were somewhat sur
prised at this. but shortly afterward he
telegrapheG from South Boston that he
had discovered a boat called the Ger
trude,' which was in perfect condition,
and that all we had to do was to pay
down the price end he would be ready to
start Immediately. He was given the
necessary authority, the price was paid
and be was given The authority to take
charge OF her, being particularly warned
not to leave until he was satisfied that
everything about her was RS it should be.
THE START FROM BOSTON.
"Itwas arranged that he should leave on
Nov. IS with his boat by steamship for Sa-
| vannah, giving him weeks time to COM
pletely overhaul her. From the time of
purchasing the boat to the time of her
wreck none of his requests for money
nave been denied, and nothing has
| reached the Outing office from f. A
Cloudman except calls for money and
complaints that he had been swindled by
the owner OF the boat or his agent"
Mr.. Blgelow then explains the circum-
| stances 1.-THE purchase OF the Gertrude"
LAS soon as we received information of
the yachts arrival in Savannah"
he ADDS, 'we began to learn
that Mr. Cloudman, who pre-
tended to be a consummate navigator.
and an experienced seaman, had actually
gotten as far AS Savannah without having
discovered whether his sails fitted his
boat and he writes subsequently of tack
ing all the way down TO Jacksonville
without sufficient ballast. He ran
aground a number of times and twice
suffered loss of stores, once parting his
cable and losing anchor off Brunswick,
and having to engage tug at $50 to tow
him to the city.
THE TRIP DOWN THE COAST.
"He was accompanied from Savannah
for good part of the distance by two
veteran handlers of small boats, one of
whom was DR.. Neide, who has accom-
plisned the most daring OF long-distance
journeys in small boats in this or any
other country. This gentleman, who is
the highest authority that could be named
on the SUBJECT, WOuIu cneerIullY tell you
what he thinks Of Capt. Cloudman's
seamanshlp. To make a long story
short, the Outing Company became so
disguised with f. A. Cloudman's man
agement during the trip down that when
Jacksonville was reached | went down
myself TO see what was wanted with
authority to break off the journey then
and there, and found Capt. Cloudman's
father and IA friend hard at work upon the
boat, the Captain, dressed in his hand
some uniform, superintending their work
told him that if the expedition was to
be a succession Of disasters, sucn as had
marksd his course from Savannah down,
We preferred TO stop the expedition rather
than 20 on indefinitely IN such way. 1
asked him now much he would need 10
make his repairs, and insisted that on no
account should he leave Jack Onyille uu-
Ill ms boat was in perfect condition.
EVERYTHING ALL RIGHT,
"He assured me that the sails were all
right, that the hull was all right, that the
repairs needed were nominal, that he
would be OF the following day IN fine cen.
| dition, that ne was proud OF his boat, that
/ she was the finest OF her size ne knew OF,
! and that he would be in Nassau in course
/ OF week. He gave plausible excuses
! for all his past troubles, although II did
seem exceedingly strange that he would
have lett Boston without haYingexamined
no w W. Il him a